Northwestern adds receivers to an anemic offense

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) Northwestern's offense was the worst in the Big Ten last season, scoring 19.5 points per game. And the 45-6 loss to Tennessee in the Outback Bowl soured some of the good feelings of a 10-3 season.

Coach Pat Fitzgerald's signing-day class, announced Wednesday, could address at least some of the team's offensive shortcomings.

The Wildcats added a pair of promising targets for quarterback Clayton Thorson in receivers Riley Lees from Libertyville, Illinois, and Bennett Skowronek of Fort Wayne, Indiana. At 6-3 and 205 pounds, Skowronek should provide a big, athletic downfield option. In high school, the 6-foot, 185-pound Lees was a dual-threat quarterback.

Northwestern also added needed depth on defense, where four of the team's top-10 tacklers last season were seniors. The Wildcats were a solid fourth in the Big Ten in scoring defense, giving up 18.5 points a game. Fitzgerald added three defensive backs, three linebackers and three defensive linemen.